ISLAMABAD, May 8 (Alliance News) – In a major escalation following India’s midnight airstrikes, Pakistan asserted its aerial superiority by downing five Indian fighter jets, including three Rafale aircraft — marking the first confirmed combat losses of the French-made warplanes, according to international media reports.
The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) confirmed on Wednesday that the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) successfully engaged and destroyed five retreating Indian Air Force (IAF) jets. These included three Rafale fighters, a Su-30MKI, and a MiG-29 Fulcrum. All Pakistani aircraft returned safely to base, ISPR Director-General Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry told reporters.
CNN, citing a senior French intelligence official, reported that “one Rafale fighter jet operated by the IAF was downed by Pakistan, in what would mark the first time that one of the sophisticated French-made warplanes has been lost in combat.” The source also noted that French authorities were investigating whether more than one Rafale had been lost.
Images circulating on social media and reported by CNN show debris marked with the French manufacturer’s label, allegedly from a crash site in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). While analysts have expressed caution, saying more evidence is needed to conclusively confirm the debris belongs to a Rafale, French manufacturer Dassault Aviation has yet to issue an official comment.
The Rafale, a multirole, twin-engine aircraft equipped with 30mm cannons, air-to-air missiles, and precision-guided munitions, was part of a fleet of 36 jets purchased by India from Dassault Aviation.
Tensions between India and Pakistan sharply escalated after a deadly attack in Pahalgam, IIOJK, on April 22, which killed 26 tourists. India responded with strikes on Pakistani and AJK territory early Wednesday, which Islamabad described as a “blatant act of war.”
According to ISPR, six Pakistani sites — including mosques and hydropower facilities — were struck, resulting in 31 civilian deaths and 57 injuries.
The Pakistan Army responded forcefully, destroying multiple Indian posts along the Line of Control (LoC). Ground forces engaged Indian positions, leading to heavy cross-border fire.
While India has not officially confirmed the loss of its jets, Pakistan’s decisive aerial response has been widely covered by international media. No statement has yet been issued by the French government or military on the reported Rafale losses.
